Opposition MP Tancoo exposes $5B corruption scandal in T&T's National Security Ministry

Trinidad and Tobago: The Opposition Member of Parliament, Davendranath Tancoo, spoke about the alleged corruption in the Ministry of National Security of Trinidad and Tobago.

He claimed that 5 billion dollars was awarded in government contracts to businesses that did not go through the entire competitive procurement process, according to the First Annual Report of the Office Procurement Regulation.

Tancoo stated that the protective services under the ministry had been stifled because of corruption.

According to the information, the OPR report highlighted concerns about the excessive use of limited and noncompetitive procurement methods despite the new regime promoting open bidding.

The Opposition MP mentioned that the procurement regulator, Beverly Khan, received whistleblower reports of illegal activities, including corruption and bid rigging.

Tancoo also accused the Ministry of National Security of failing to provide contract listings and properly account for billions spent without following proper procurement procedures.

He questioned, "Today we have a fire service with 2000 active firemen having to share ten breathing apparatuses amongst themselves in the case of a fire, so 200 men have to use one breathing apparatus. So what will happen in a fire? Think of the idiocracy of this situation and the danger to the fire officers. What is going to happen?"

Tancoo noted that there were ministers of national security, which he said was twice the level of incompetence running in the Ministry of National Security. He said that the TPS is short staffed and lacking vehicles, bulletproof vests, computers and basic stationary in the stations.

"The prison service is similarly compromised because they too are severely underfunded. Our Coast Guard has been crippled by the absence of working vessels. Just look at what happened in Tobago recently, in February this year," he claimed.

Not only this, but the MP also said that the Gulf Stream vessel, which mysteriously appeared on the island's shores, was able to infiltrate the country's territorial waters due to unknown circumstances resulting in the oil spill.

He slammed the government over the development and highlighted, "Seven months later, we still have no answers from this government, even as a shootout reportedly occurred on the rec a few weeks ago."

He also recalled the incident where a boat with 14 dead bodies was found floating off the coast of Bell Garden, noting that it was only discovered when it reached Tobago shores.

He said that the nation's borders were porous and blamed the Ministry of National Security for not doing its job, while the PNM government facilitates billions in contracts being given to their friends, family, and financiers.

Davendranath Tancoo continued to emphasise, "Our national security has been deliberately starved of resources and totally compromised the very system which is supposed to protect you taxpaying citizens of this country."

He accused the incumbent PNM government of greed, claiming the country's controlled by white-collar criminals, and questioned whether the Ministry of National Security is concealing its awarded contracts while protective services suffer from a lack of funding, asking where the money has gone.